A medieval bridge has been damaged yet again after a car skidded on ice and crashed into it.

Teston Bridge was shut this morning after a car careered into the Grade I listed structure at around 6.30am.

The incident comes one year on from a crash that cost Kent County Council £75,000 to rebuild the structure and forced a two-month closure.

Motorists and boaters were barred from using the bridge or passing under it when semi-professional footballer Ben Emery, from Westgate-on-Sea, Thanet, crashed his BMW into the parapet on August 5.

It was left with two cracks measuring 10ft and stonework was dislodged and did not open again until October 18.

Teston Lane, which links Teston and West Farleigh carries in excess of 5,000 vehicles a day.

Police closed the bridge following the crash at around 6.30am and drivers were forced to turn around and find an alternative route.

The closure had a knock-on effect as queues of traffic built in the area and Maidstone Town Centre.

Fortunately nobody was injured in the crash.

A spokesman for KCC said the damage will be assessed before any plans are made for repairs or longer road closures.